The song has since gone on to become a modern Christmas classic, recorded by hundreds of artists over the years, across multiple genres.[1] Different versions have reached the top ten in the Billboard R&B and Holiday charts.

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"Mary, Did You Know?" was originally released in the key of E♭ minor, with a tempo of 53 beats per minute based around a chord progression of E♭m–D♭–A♭m7–B♭7sus4–B♭7 and is in the 44 meter.[3] The lyrics evolved from a series of questions that Lowry scripted for a Christmas program at his church:

I just tried to put into words the unfathomable. I started thinking of the questions I would have for her if I were to sit down & have coffee with Mary. You know, "What was it like raising God?" "What did you know?" "What didn't you know?"[1]

None of the questions are answered in the song. Instead, the lyrics poetically invite the listener to contemplate the relationship between Mary and her newborn divine son,[4] even if her faith and awareness did not yet include the details of what would unfold.[5]

The text has received criticism for perceived ambiguity or lack of scriptural or theological depth.[4][6] For example, Lutheran writer Holly Scheer, in addressing the rhetorical question of the song's title, wrote: "Anyone who has even a slight familiarity with the biblical account of Christ's conception and birth shouldn't need to ask if Mary knew, because the Bible plainly tells us she did."[7]

"Mary, Did You Know?" is the eleventh track on Cee Lo's Christmas album Cee Lo's Magic Moment. On December 15, 2012, the song appeared on the US R&B Songs chart at number 22, and peaked three weeks later at number 9. This version is the slowest of all. It also served as the closing credits song to the 2014 20th Century Fox movie Son of God.